Conference Sponsors

Energy & Environmental Research Center
The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) is a research, development, demonstration, and commercialization facility recognized as one of the world's leading developers of cleaner, more efficient energy technologies as well as environmental technologies to protect and clean our air, water, and soil. The EERC is a high-tech, nonprofit branch of the University of North Dakota, which operates like a business. The EERC currently employs more than 300 people and is aggressively expanding its staff. The Center was founded in 1951 as the Robertson Lignite Research Laboratory, a federal facility under the U.S. Bureau of Mines. It became a federal energy technology center under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 1977 and was defederalized in 1983. Today, the EERC leverages and enhances government research dollars by developing working partnerships with industry, government, and the research community. Since 1983, the EERC has had more than 970 clients in all 50 states and 49 countries. In FY2006, 91% of its contracts were funded by nonfederal entities.

The EERC's Center for Air Toxic Metals^®(CATM^®) is sponsored in part by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development's National Center for Environmental Research. The program is focused on conducting research directed toward minimizing the impact of air toxic metals on the environment, both in the United States and globally. Since its inception in 1993, CATM has proven to be effective at addressing critical air toxic issues through partnerships with government agencies, industry, and environmental groups. Through these partnerships, CATM has answered critical questions concerning health risks, toxic metal transformations and pathways, sampling and measurement of toxic metal emissions, and related toxic metal control technologies. Through outreach programs and open forums, the general public is made aware of air toxic emission issues and the need for pollution prevention as the first step toward improving air, water, and soil quality.

U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory
The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) plans and implements its programs to accomplish the overall goals and objectives of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). NETL serves as the focal point for science and technology development in fossil energy and related environmental control technologies. Through the new Strategic Center for Natural Gas (SCNG), NETL will drive an integrated planning process for natural gas technologies within DOE and will coordinate DOE's natural gas programs in gas supply, transmission, distribution, reliability, and end use. SCNG will identify research and policy support gaps; plan programs to fill these gaps; initiate research to meet future natural gas supply deliverability, reliability, and utilization requirements; and provide strong support for DOE's development of natural gas-related policies. With the four focus areas, NETL will provide cutting-edge research and development (R&D) leadership in gas energy systems dynamics, carbon sequestration, computational energy science, and ultraclean fuels. Through partnerships, NETL will continue to utilize the full resources of the laboratory system to address fossil energy-related issues. NETL concentrates on the application of science and engineering principles to execute its mission.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA's National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) was established in May 1995 as part of the overall reorganization of the Office of Research and Development (ORD). NCER's mission is to stimulate the research community to provide high-quality, innovative ideas and solutions to protect human health and the environment. NCER's aims are to achieve excellence in research, focus on the highest-priority environmental science and engineering needs, achieve high levels of accountability and integrity, leverage resources and form partnerships, communicate/integrate research results, develop the next generation of environmental scientists, and provide ORD-wide policy development. The STAR Program, "Science To Achieve Results," NCER's largest and most visible initiative (accounting for 85% of its annual budget), funds research and fellowships in environmental science and engineering. The STAR program is one of EPA's tools for improving the scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues and supports research covering a broad area of environmental topics. In addition, the STAR program facilitates and expands access to research information and communicates science results through workshops, publications, and the Internet. The STAR Program has grown over the past 5 years and now awards $95 million annually and supports 900-1000 active grants and fellowships.

Electric Power Research Institute
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) creates science and technology solutions for the global energy and energy services industry. The institute provides a wide range of innovative products and services to more than 1000 energy-related organizations in 40 countries. EPRI's multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers in environmental sciences, power generation, and delivery and use draws on a worldwide network of technical and business expertise to help solve today's toughest energy and environmental problems. A collaborative program in Strategic Research and Public Benefit Research, including environmental quality, public health, energy efficiency, renewables, and infrastructure reliability, is complemented by focused programs in business-critical technologies, including proprietary ventures. A wide variety of applications, training, and technical consulting services are available to supplement participants' in-house capabilities. EPRI has developed over 6000 hardware, software, and information products that can be provided individually. Ranging from advanced power technology to operating and maintenance manuals to environmental assessments, these products are valuable tools participants can use to enhance their operations or improve their market position.